Announcing a New Registered Report Article Type at the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research

Purpose: This editorial introduces the new registered reports article type for the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research . The goal of registered reports is to create a structural solution to address issues of publication bias toward results that are unexpected and sensational, questionable research practices that are used to produce novel results, and a peer-review process that occurs at the end of the research process when changes in fundamental design are difficult or impossible to implement. Conclusion: Registered reports can be a positive addition to scientific publications by addressing issues of publication bias, questionable research practices, and the late influence of peer review. This article type does so by requiring reviewers and authors to agree in advance that the experimental design is solid, the questions are interesting, and the results will be publishable regardless of the outcome. This procedure ensures that replication studies and null results make it into the published literature and that authors are not incentivized to alter their analyses based on the results that they obtain. Registered reports represent an ongoing commitment to research integrity and finding structural solutions to structural problems inherent in a research and publishing landscape in which publications are such a high-stakes aspect of individual and institutional success.

ALGORITHM FOR EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND PREVENTION OF PROFESSIONAL SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS

The aim of the study is to develop an algorithm for early diagnosis and prevention of professional neurosensory hearing elasticity (PNST). A comprehensive audiological survey of 600 miners aged 37 to 58, with 10 to 35 years of experience in noise conditions above the PDU for 7-21 dBA (class 3.1-3.3) was carried out. Based on the studies, an algorithm of early diagnosis and prevention of PNST, consisting of 3 blocks: I - hygienic (assessment of working conditions and risk categorization), II - clinical diagnostic, based on modern audiological methods of hearing research with the selection of diagnostic markers of risk of PNST, III - preventive, including the development of individual hearing preservation programs. The developed algorithm allows in 65-75% of cases to identify changes in the auditory analyzer at the preclinical stage, to clarify the nature and localization of the auditory analyzer, which is important in the development of therapeutic and preventive measures.

Publication Bias and Evidential Value in Speech, Language, and Hearing Research

Purpose: This research examined the evidential value of research in Speech, Language, and Hearing (SLH), and the extent to which there is publication bias in reported findings. We also looked at the prevalence of good research practices, including those that work to minimize publication bias.Method: We extracted statistical results from 51 articles reported in four meta-analyses. These were there analyzed with two recent tests for evidential value and publication bias —the p-curve and the Z-curve. These articles were also coded for pre-registration, data access statements, and whether they were replication studies. Results: P-curves were right-skewed indicating evidential value, ruling out selective reporting as the sole reason for the significant findings. The Z-curve similarly found evidential value but detected a relative absence of null results, suggesting there is some publication bias. No studies were pre-registered, no studies had a data access statement, and no studies were full replication studies (3 studies were partial replications).Conclusions: Findings indicate SLH research has evidential value. This means that decision-makers and clinicians can continue to rely on the SLH research evidence base to influence service and clinical decisions. However, the presence of publication bias means that meta-analytic estimates of effectiveness may be exaggerated. Thus, we encourage SLH researchers to engage in study pre-registration, make result data accessible, conduct replication studies, and document null findings.

Auditory cortex activation is modulated nonlinearly by stimulation duration: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) study

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an increasingly popular method in hearing research. However, few studies have considered efficient stimulation parameters for fNIRS auditory experimental design. The objectives of our study are (1) to characterize the auditory hemodynamic responses to trains of white noise with increasing stimulation durations (8s, 10s, 15s, 20s) in terms of amplitude and response linearity; (2) to identify the most-efficient stimulation duration using fNIRS; and (3) to generalize results to more ecological environmental stimuli. We found that cortical activity is augmented following the increments in stimulation durations and reaches a plateau after about 15s of stimulation. The linearity analysis showed that this augmentation due to stimulation duration is not linear in the auditory cortex, the non-linearity being more pronounced for longer durations (15s and 20s). The 15s block duration that we propose as optimal precludes signal saturation, is associated with a high response amplitude and a relatively short total experimental duration. Moreover, the 15s duration remains optimal independently of the nature of presented sounds. The sum of these findings suggests that 15s stimulation duration used in the appropriate experimental setup allows researchers to acquire optimal fNIRS signal quality.

Reporting and Reproducibility of Meta-Analysis in Speech, Language, and Hearing Research

Purpose The purposes of this meta-review are to (a) articulate the importance of transparency and reproducibility in meta-analysis, (b) assess the transparency and reproducibility of meta-analyses published in journals of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and (c) discuss the implications of our findings and recommendations for future research. Method We conducted a meta-review of all meta-analyses published in ASHA journals through December 31, 2020. Our systematic review yielded 47 meta-analyses for inclusion in this review. We coded all eligible reports on the core elements of transparency and reproducibility in meta-analysis. Results Our findings suggest that though reporting tendencies have improved over time, much work is needed to promote transparency and reproducibility in meta-analytic work. Key areas for future accountability include preregistering study protocol, using Preferred Reporting in Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis checklists, providing full data sets, and publishing analytic codes. Conclusions The state of reporting in meta-analysis is improving over time. We conclude with a discussion of specific areas that need further attention, and recommendations for researchers to consider when conducting future meta-analyses. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14888481

Measuring Stakeholder Perceptions: A Review of Social Validity Reporting in ASHA Journals

Purpose Intervention research in speech-language pathology is growing; however, there remains a gap between research and clinical practice. To promote evidence-based practice, stakeholder input may be solicited during the development and evaluation of treatments. One method of evaluating stakeholder input is by subjectively measuring social validity. Social validity probes end users' satisfaction and acceptability of a treatment. Method This review article explores the type and frequency of subjective social validity measures reported in speech-language pathology treatment literature published in American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology; Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research; and Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools from January 2017 through April 2019. In total, 93 treatment studies were included and coded descriptively. Results Of the 93 treatment studies included in this review, 20 reported subjective measures of social validity. The most common method of measurement was questionnaires ( n = 19), followed by interviews ( n = 5), and direct observation ( n = 1). Conclusions Only 21.5% of reviewed speech-language pathology treatment articles from American Speech-Language-Hearing Association journals reported measures of social validity, although it is a crucial component of implementation of evidence-based practice. We urge researchers and journal editors to include social validity measures in treatment literature as we promote the uptake of evidence-based practices and the involvement of stakeholders during the development of evidence-based practices. We also encourage the development of social validity measures that can be validated on individuals with communication disorders.